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One fish, two fish

A chain operation shows occasional flashes of brilliance
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By Dave Faries
Staff Writer, The Prague Post
June 6th, 2007 issue

VLADIMÍR WEISS/THE PRAGUE POST
What must they be thinking? Pets are part of the décor at Kampa Fish.
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Kampa Fish

U Lužického semináře 42
Prague 1–Malá Strana
Tel. 257 531 799
Open daily 11 a.m.–midnight

Food **
Service ***
Atmosphere ***
Overall ***

FROM THE MENU

Mussels imperial 285 Kč
St. Jacques scallops 395 Kč
Red mullet 685 Kč
Halibut 595 Kč
Muller Thurgau (glass) 150 Kč
Gin and tonic 170 Kč

Kolkovna Group restaurants are known for heaping, sometimes overpriced portions of meat and cabbage served with mugs of Pilsner Urquell.
Kampa Fish is an exception: no costumes of lime pastel, no mustachioed bartenders, no bland white-bread dumplings. Apart from the usual array of pamphlets by the door, this branch of the brand-name operation seems quite willing to distance itself from its corporate brethren.
It employs a name chef, Josef Rychtr. The wine list dabbles in vineyards from the Old World and New. Beer comes in bottles. Instead of brass bar fittings, there’s a rather fanciful interpretation of Jacque Cousteau’s undersea world, with circular white tiles representing bubbles and light fixtures that seem to float. The ceiling is a foamy surface of silver beads beneath which hover feathery “angel fish.”
But whimsical design elements are not enough to escape “local chain” stigma. As an upscale destination in seafood-starved Prague, food service is critical to justify the restaurant’s identity.
In that respect, Kampa Fish is not always a prize catch.
The tangy sweetness of fruit, mellow haze of nuts, zing of good vinaigrette and bitter jolt from greens converge on the St. Jacques scallops in layered waves, each articulating the delicate flavor of shellfish in its own voice. Golden brown scars from the pan conjure up warm, almost savory splashes — a very good start, rich and intricate.
But for every triumph there’s a disappointment. However slight, this temperament weighs all the heavier because evidence of culinary dexterity is so prevalent in other dishes. Several dry, leathery mollusks set an unfortunate precedent for mussels imperial, an appetizer selection. Even though others are meaty, with a pleasant musty taint, a discouraging broth of white wine, shallots and tomato puts good specimens in this appetizer through an ordeal, a throat-scarring backlash of salt.
Entrees also struggle to find a groove. Firm, flakey halibut is so lean the flesh has an almost neutral patter. Yet an elusive character, the marriage of fennel and truffle butter, infuses each forkful with a complex earthy pastis that is difficult to deconstruct. The addition of not-too-tart, not-too-sweet lime beurre blanc elevates the base flavors, seemingly lifting them from elemental to elegant. Red mullet baked in chervil butter, on the other hand, had on one visit a mildly perturbing muddy taste and oily texture.
It’s a fragile thing, red mullet — delicate and quite perishable. And this particular fish seemed on the brink of exhaustion.
Accompaniments prove far more intriguing. Oyster mushrooms are candied in butter for a faint, brittle crunch, followed by a bold musty taste common to varieties picked this time of year. Beautifully executed wine sabayon never breaks down. And, mind you, the process of whisking egg and other ingredients into a wet froth, tactile though not stiff, is quite difficult. The kitchen confounds conventional (that is to say, savory) preparation for fish, serving instead a sweet, somewhat tart dessert-style zabaglione.
Unfortunately, the foamy concoction refuses to play along with graying mullet. Its flavors loiter on the side, so two disparate and not at all communicative flavors compete for your palate’s attention. Yet, when slathered on rucola, bitter leaves soften dramatically and the pronounced sweetness of sabayon slinks into the background. The whole becomes an interestingly complacent combination.
Kampa Fish’s menu befits a tonied-up space. Also on the list: Iranian caviar, a speculative commodity these days (although more reliable than Russian beluga), Canadian lobster and oysters from somewhere. For picky sorts, there’s a selection of fresh fish cooked to order, from sea bass to Dover sole — also a dubious characterization at many establishments.
Of course, requisite domestic classics take up space, alongside chicken and sirloin. But who orders steak at a seafood restaurant?
Especially one that is, at times, exceptional.

Dave Faries can be reached at dfaries@praguepost.com


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